--- title: "Not all resistance training is created equal — and the research on who benefits most might surprise you." id: "6800" type: "post" slug: "not-all-resistance-training-is-created-equal-and-the-research-on-who-benefits-most-might-surprise-you" published_at: "2026-04-06T23:27:23+00:00" modified_at: "2026-04-06T23:27:23+00:00" url: "https://www.allforone.com.au/not-all-resistance-training-is-created-equal-and-the-research-on-who-benefits-most-might-surprise-you/" markdown_url: "https://www.allforone.com.au/not-all-resistance-training-is-created-equal-and-the-research-on-who-benefits-most-might-surprise-you.md" excerpt: "Why Strength Training Matters More After 40 There’s a change happening in your body right now that you probably can’t see. From your 30s onward, you’re losing muscle mass — somewhere between 3 and 8 percent per decade. And strength..." taxonomy_category: - "All in" --- ## Why Strength Training Matters More After 40 There’s a change happening in your body right now that you probably can’t see. From your 30s onward, you’re losing muscle mass — somewhere between 3 and 8 percent per decade. And strength drops even faster than size. Between 50 and 60, the research puts it at roughly 1.5 percent of your strength gone each year. After 60, closer to 3 percent. You won’t notice it on any given Tuesday. But over time it shows up — getting up off the floor feels harder, carrying the shopping takes more effort, a stumble that would’ve been nothing ten years ago suddenly feels less certain. Most people know, vaguely, that strength training is good for them. But the research goes well beyond “good for you.” And the details — how much you need, how hard it has to be, and who benefits most — are more specific and more surprising than the usual advice suggests. **The numbers worth knowing** A large systematic review found that resistance training is associated with a 15 percent reduction in all-cause mortality, a 19 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease mortality, and a 14 percent lower risk of cancer mortality. Even modest amounts make a real difference — as little as two sessions a week is associated with meaningful reductions in the risk of early death. One of the more striking findings is that the benefits are not evenly distributed. Research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that women who did regular strength training had a 30 percent lower risk of cardiovascular mortality, compared with 11 percent for men. A separate NIH-supported study confirmed the broader pattern — even when men and women did the same amount of exercise, the relative benefit was greater for women. The reasons aren’t fully understood yet, but the data is consistent across multiple large studies. That’s worth sitting with for a moment, because most strength training advice — the imagery, the marketing, the culture around it — still skews heavily toward men. The evidence suggests the people who stand to gain the most are often the least likely to be doing it. But regardless of who you are, the takeaway is the same. Resistance training isn’t optional as you get older. It’s one of the most effective things you can do for your long-term health. The question is whether what you’re doing is actually enough. **Not all resistance is equal** This is the part that matters if you’re already doing some form of exercise and wondering whether it counts. Resistance training works because it forces your muscles to adapt to a load they’re not used to. That adaptation — getting stronger, building denser bones, improving the way your body handles glucose — only happens when the challenge is sufficient. And here’s the catch: your body adapts. A set of exercises you’ve been doing the same way for two years isn’t driving those changes anymore. Exercise scientists call this progressive overload. It means the resistance needs to increase over time — heavier load, more reps, a harder variation, slower tempo. Without that progression, you plateau. The research is clear: people who progressively increase their training stimulus see significantly greater improvements in strength and muscle mass than those who keep things the same. That doesn’t mean you need to be deadlifting twice your bodyweight. But it does mean the work has to be genuinely challenging. You should finish a set feeling like you couldn’t do many more. If it feels comfortable, it’s probably not doing what you think it’s doing. Reformer Pilates can absolutely meet this threshold. The spring system is built to be progressed, and a well-structured class will increase load and complexity over time. But the key word is “progressed.” A class that never gets harder is movement — and movement is good — but it’s not the same as strength training. **What this means for your bones** Bone density is one area where the intensity piece really matters. Research shows that resistance training at higher intensities — around 70 percent or more of your maximum capacity — performed at least twice a week, has a meaningful effect on bone mineral density at the hip and spine. These are the fracture sites that matter most as you age. Lower-intensity exercise can slow bone loss, and that’s valuable. But it’s the higher-load work that appears to actively build density. For anyone moving through midlife and beyond — particularly when hormonal changes accelerate bone loss — this isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s one of the most effective preventive tools available. **What to actually do with this** You don’t need a complicated program. You need something you’ll do consistently, at least twice a week, that’s hard enough to make your muscles work — and that gets harder over time. That’s the mechanism. Without it, you’re maintaining at best. If you’re already doing reformer Pilates or another form of resistance exercise, the question worth asking is whether the load is progressing. Are you moving up spring levels? Are the exercises getting more challenging? If so, you’re likely on the right track. If it’s felt the same for months, it might be time to push. If you’re not doing any resistance training yet, there’s no perfect starting point — just a starting point. And the research says the earlier you begin, the more you benefit. Got questions about what the right kind of strength work looks like for you? Drop us an email at [hello@allforone.com.au](mailto:hello@allforone.com.au) or give us a call. We’re happy to help you figure it out.